Smash-and-grab ends quickly

(1 of )This is not the black Toyota Yaris Sonoma sheriff's deputies were seeking, but it's close.

Fast action by Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies captured two suspects in a smash-and-grab robbery Friday morning, March 2, at Maxwell Village shopping center.

At 9:03 a.m., the department issued an advisory alert following an incident when a suspect smashed a car window at Maxwell Village and took a laptop. The suspect fled in a black Toyota Yaris which witnesses were able to describe, along with a partial license plate number.

The vehicle had last been seen headed north towards Santa Rosa on Sonoma Highway.

The driver was described as a Hispanic female in her thirties, and the passenger as an African-American man in the same age range.

“If you see a similar vehicle,” read the alert, “please call 911.”

Four minutes later the alert was canceled, when the suspects were located and detained. Both alerts were issued through nixle.com, which distributes emergency messages through text, email, voice messages, social media, and the Nixle mobile app.

“We thank the public for your assistance,” concluded the subsequent alert, with the hashtag “#teamwork”.